SchoolScoresAbbey School for Exceptional Children
Independent special school · All-through, ages 4 to 19 · Mixed
10-12 Abbey Square, Chester, Chester, CH1 2HU
01244 960000 · School website · Map and directions
Ofsted inspection
Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 8 July 2025.
This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.
| Area | Grade |
|---|---|
| Quality of education | Good |
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Sixth form | Good |
| Safeguarding | Effective |
At its last standard inspection the school met all of the independent school standards, the legal requirements every independent school must meet.
Read the full Ofsted reports for this school
Source: Ofsted non-association independent schools inspection data.
What parents say
27 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 3 September 2024 and 1 September 2025.
| Statement | This school | England |
|---|---|---|
| My child is happy at this school | 85% | 89% |
| My child feels safe at this school | 81% | 90% |
| The school makes sure pupils are well behaved | 85% | 84% |
| Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 22 parents who had raised a concern | 77% | 76% |
| My child with SEND gets the support they needOf 27 parents of children with SEND | 81% | 68% |
| I would recommend this school to another parent | 81%said yes | 84% |
Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families (Ofsted puts the response rate at 25%). Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. This survey used Ofsted's previous Parent View questions, which changed in November 2025. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.
Results
We don't show GCSE or primary results for independent schools. DfE's tables often leave out the IGCSEs and other qualifications many independent schools use, so their published figures can look far lower than pupils' real results. Ask the school for its results.
Admissions
Independent schools run their own admissions and set their own fees. Contact the school directly.
Pupils, staff and SEND
This is a special school for children with an education, health and care plan (EHCP). Places are arranged through the council's SEND team, not the normal admissions round.
| Pupils | This school | Cheshire West and Chester | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years | 0.0% | 48.2%* | 51.9% |
| With an education, health and care plan | 100.0% | 100.0%* | 99.5% |
| Receiving special educational needs support | 0.0% | 0.0%* | 0.5% |
| English as an additional language | Not published | 4.2%* | 14.4% |
Comparisons are with special schools. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25.
SEND provision: Get Information about Schools (DfE).
Nearby special schools
- Maple Grove School 1.1 miles · Independent, inspected by ISI
- Dee Banks School 1.2 miles · Ofsted: Good (2016), confirmed 2022
- Dorin Park School and Specialist SEN College 1.5 miles · Ofsted: Good (2014), confirmed 2024
Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.
Questions parents ask
What is Abbey School for Exceptional Children's Ofsted rating?
Abbey School for Exceptional Children was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 8 July 2025.
Would parents recommend Abbey School for Exceptional Children?
81% of the 27 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 3 September 2024 and 1 September 2025 said they would recommend Abbey School for Exceptional Children to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.
Sources
- School details: Get Information about Schools (DfE), 26 September 2026. URN 147951.
- Inspections: Ofsted non-association independent schools management information, data to 31 July 2026.
- Parent views: Ofsted Parent View, 3 September 2024 to 1 September 2025.
Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.
Page updated 26 September 2026.